Drinking vessel with animated display



Oct 13, 1953 D. ROSENTHAL 2,654,974

DRINKING VESSEL WITH ANIMATED DISPLAY Filed Sept. 8. 1948 Jaw/[11111501111114 I, INVENTOR.

Y r- I 5 DHJVJEL RQSEIIIIWHL Patented Oct. 13, 1953 DRINKING VESSEL WITH ANHVIATED DISPLAY Daniel Rosenthal, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 8, 1948, Serial No. 48,300

Claims.

This invention relates to drinking vessels and more particularly to instrumentalities for providing an animated display in conjunction with and visible through the bottom of a drinking vessel.

It has heretofore been proposed to display various advertising and other objects through the bases of glass tumblers, cups, bowls and other vessels intended to be held in the hand and having transparent bases. In most instances these objects have been fixed. Some have been free to move, but without any control over that movement. Thus in neither the fixed nor the movable form would the object necessarily appear upright to the user, regardless of the position in which the vessel was held for use.

The presence of a figure, in conjunction with the base of a drinking vessel, which figure will always be upright and will show some animation in response to movement of the vessel, has a definite value in no way touched upon by the incomplete attempt of the prior art.

Besides being generally attractive as a display, it is valuable for a number of specific purposes. Some of these are advertising, education and the enticement of children to drink commodities which they might otherwise avoid. The display can be made up in various series whether the holders therefor be part of the vessel or be interchangeable elements. Thus such things as a line of commodities to be advertised, a variety of mechanical movements, animals, birds, or nursery rhyme characters can be displayed. All of these, in accordance with the invention, will stand upright as viewed by the holder of the vessel, and will have some parts thereof movable with respect to the other parts.

It is, accordingly, the principal object of my invention to provide animated displays to be viewed through the bases of drinking vessels.

Another object is to provide such displays which have one part movable with respect to the body of the member on which they are mounted and have other parts movable with respect to the first part.

Other objects of the invention are to provide such displays which may be furnished in a series for inter-changeable use and which, Whether singly, or in a series, will be entirely protected from contact with any of the beverage, and, finally, to provide such displays in an economical and effective manner.

Further objects of the invention will appear as a description of the embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing proceeds. In that drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a drinking vessel in accordance with the invention, with a fragment of that vessel broken away in section.

Figure 2 is a plan view taken on line 22 thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, but show ing a slightly modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line- 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing another modification of the invention.

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on line l'l of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is a detailed sectional view of a form of pivot employed in conjunction with the invention.

Though in the drawing just referred to, and in the detailed description thereof to follow, the display device of the invention, a shown and described, is applied to a drinking glass, it is, of course, to be understood that such is only for illustrative purposes. The receptacle might, of course, be any food product or beverage containing vessel of a transparent nature, such as, but without limitation to, soup bowls, cereal bowls, glass cups or mugs, as well as drinking glasses or tumblers. Furthermore, though the display objects illustrated are such as would appeal to children, it is to be understood that advertising displays, or any other figure capable of animation could be employed.

In Figure 1, the drinking glass, or tumbler, shown at I may be of any ordinary type, and be formed of glass, or a plastic, the only compelling requirement being that its bottom be transparent. A base 2 is shown as applied to the bottom of the tumbler I as a separate element as indicated by the line of separation 3. The base 2 may be permanently afiixed to the tumbler if desired. When, however, it is desired to vary the displays to be seen through the bottom of a tumbler, the base 2 would be made as a separate element, as shown in Figures 2 through 7. In such figures, the base '2 is depicted as having a supporting bottom 4 surrounded by an upstanding side wall 5, which side wall is inset around its upper end at 6 in order to provide a ledge for the reception or the bottom end of the tumbler.

In the form shown in Figures 2, 3 and 8, the bottom 4 has a flat upper surface 1, above which is suitably mounted the support member 8 of a suitable display element. This support member is preferably pivotally mounted in suitable manner with respect to the bottom 4. Here such.

mounting is accomplished by the use of a suitable post 9, the lower end of which is secured in the base 4. The other end is reduced at III to provide a shoulder l l to serve as a pivotal mountin for the member 8. The member 8 is suitably held thereon by some means such as the cap screw l2 (Figure 8) The memben. ii. has supplemental portions l3. and I4 pivotally-mounted on and' ab'ove itgb'y, means of pivot pins [5 and Hi. In addition, the supplemental portion 14, here given the appeareance of a cow, is provided with extremeties such as ll, l8, l9 and 20. These latteraresuitably: pivoted to the portion I4, as shown at 2| and 22-.

In order to properly portray theaideaof. the: 15,

cow, l4, jumping over the moon l3, as is donein Figure 2, it is, of course, necessary for thevmoon:

to take the lower position of the two figgires no matter in what position, the glass be held. for drinking therefrom, or viewing through the bottom-- thereof. This is accomplished by suitably counter weightlngthe-properportion ofthe display element Here such is shown as beingaccomplished by making the-moon substantially heavier than the other figure. This will-causethe support member e-to moveon its pivot Ill-and adopt the desired position. Similarly; the individualfigures I3 and H themselves have their pivots I B andl6-'=-so-placed, with respect 'to' their centers of gravity; that they will adoptanupright position. The legs ll, I8, B and-', of the coware mountedto-swingrather freely, but, in the course of-their swinging; will seek to fall into a-normaldownward-position; In any event, the glass will probably not be held toosteady, and the' various elements of 'the display, being freely movable on their-pivots-,- will display-considerableanimation in response to even slight movement" of the-glass.

A- small ball 23 is hung aroundthe neck of" the: cowdepicted 'at l4.- This bell freeto swing clear-of the-adjacent ele'mentsand, solongas 3|, are all suitably secured" to the, body -24rby spring elements 32, 33, 34,35 and:36', respec.tively." These springs are so-choseng that any movement.

of the display device; or: of, the glass to .which it is applied, willserve to impart a;jigg1ing move-' ment, to the aforesaidextremities, Thewhole,

construction is counter-weighted to make; it,

stand uprightby a, counterweighting of the feet 3! and J As. an, alternative. of. course, this,

could be accomplished by appropriately weight ing the body instead; Finally, this figurecarries. in the hand 28' a,,stick, 3] fr'om;which a ,bell,38'

islsuspendedlby meansota cord.39. The re-.j

lationship of, these parts is such, that'the bell' 38L. willpbe freetogswingin, response to thesamesort of movement which causesmovement ,of. the feet...

hands, etc and will-,fthus ,.'produce. a, tinkling sound'to add to theattractivene'ssof .tl'iede'yice.

In the. modificationshownin-Fieuresfi ,andj'l, the bottom 4fis provided with an upper surface,

the larger, part.of.-which, 4U,.gis.in the. formof. an,

suriace-isretaixiedinthe.flatiolmbhut may be l.

dispensed with if desired, in which case the inclined annulus would extend right down to the center of the bottom 4. The figure shown in this embodiment is in the form of a jumping jack, whose arms and legs are designed to move up and down, in response to movement of the glass, or tumbler. This figure has a main body po rtion.42,,piv otally mounted=on.-thebase 4 by means of a pivot pin 43, The, armsflkland 45, and the legs 46 and 41, are pivotally mounted on the body 42 at appropriate positions by means of suitable pivot pins 48, 49, 50 and 5|.

T-he movement of these arms and legs, and the upright position of the figure, is provided for by a counterweight 52 which rides on the incline 40. A string, or wire, 53 connects the counter-weight 52 throughibranch j strings with the portions of the arms and legs extending inward beyond their pivots. Thus, as the weight falls from the position shown in Figure 6 towards the side wall 5, the-figure- -asawhole will first adopt'an upright position'from the point ofview of'the observer; and'will therafter raise its arms and legs. This action; however, is controlled by the presence of the incline 40, so as not to take place too abrupt= ly: Furthermore; the incline 40 will serve to return=the-counter-weight 52 to a neutralposition"When the glass is moved from one position to-anothe1v The substantial movement of the arms and legs upand down can be readily achieved.

From 'the foregoing it will be apparent that bases-fortumblers can 'bedevised by following theteachings of my invention providing what'- ever movement it is 'desired to simulate. For

instance, a series-*ofnurseryrhyme characters,

Or-ptherattractivefigures; could be provided,

either in" separate bases, or in bases already affixed to bottoms of glasses. If other age groups and'* types'of"thepublic are to' be appealed to, whether by means of advertising ormere entertainment, other portrayals can be provided; whether in series or not. Also, as already pointed: out: the bases, whether separate, or affixed-to particularvessels, can be supplied for a-greati-variety of-vessels, so long as the same are transparent or at least have transparent bottomsi Since certain: changes, .may be made in the above described, illustrations, and different embodiments of the, invention could bemade with:- oiltfleparting from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matterpcontained in the above description, or shown; in the. accompanying drawing, shall be, interpretedas illustrative, and

not in a limiting sense.

Havingdescribed my invention; what I claim asnew and'desire to secure bygLetters-Patent is:

1. Inv adisplayconstruction fona vessel having,

a transparent,bottom. wherein agenerally cup shaped member is formedwith a portion toreceivethebase of Said vesselandhas aportion extendhigbelow. the,said receiving portion for the mounting of a display figure, said cupl shaped ,member, having a, bottom an. upstanding side wall,therearound'iorming. a chamber therewithin.

overlying. said, bottom, adisplay. figure, a bell tyl esoundingmember forming part of said fig;

ureandconnectedto the main part of saidfigure; ,byaiflexible connector, means forI mounting said, display figure for pivotal movement. in. spaced.

relation ,tosaid bottom, said mounting means ineluding 'a,.pivot pin.extending. from said bottom andengaged ,Jwith said-display; figure, andmeans. :formmg part of the visiblesportionzof saidfigure.

to counterweight said figure to maintain the same in upright position.

2. In a display construction for a vessel having a transparent bottom wherein a generally cup shaped member is formed with a portion to receive the base of said vessel and has a portion extending below the said receiving portion for the mounting of a display figure, said cup shaped member having a bottom and an upstanding side wall therearound forming a, chamber overlying said bottom, a display figure, fixed pivotal mountin means extending from said bottom and engaging said display figure for mounting the same in spaced pivotal relation with respect to said bottom, said displa figure having a body portion and an auxiliary portion and connecting mean for connecting said auxiliary portion with respect to said body portion for limited move ment with respect thereto.

3. In a display construction for a vessel having a. transparent bottom wherein a generally cup shaped member is formed with a portion to receive the base of said vessel and has a portion extending below the said receiving portion for the mounting of a figure, said cup shaped member having a bottom and an upstanding side wall therearound forming a chamber overlying said bottom, a display figure, pivotal mounting means extending from said bottom and engaging said display figure for mounting the same in spaced relation with respect to said bottom, said display figure having a body portion and an auxiliary portion, and flexible connecting means for connecting said auxiliary portion with respect to said body portion for limited movement with re- 36 chamber within said cup shaped portion beneath the receiving portion for the base of the vessel, a single display figure seated in said chamber, means for mounting said display figure on said bottom for pivotal movement with respect thereto, and means forming parts of said figure, but located at separate extremities thereof, to counterweight said figure to maintain the same in upright position.

5. In a display construction for a vessel having a transparent bottom wherein a generally cup shaped member is formed with a portion to receive the base of said vessel and has a portion extending below the said receiving portion for the mounting of a display figure, said cup shaped member having a bottom and an upstanding side wall therearound forming a chamber overlying said bottom, a display figure, fixed pivotal mounting means extending from said bottom and engaging said display figure for mounting the same in spaced pivotal relation with respect to said bottom, said display figure having a body portion and an auxiliary portion and a light Weight helical spring for connecting said auxiliary portion with respect to said body portion for limited movement with respect thereto.

DANIEL ROSENTHAL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 357,689 Porrera Feb. 15, 1887 740,834 Fantoni Oct. 6, 1903 996,458 Coleman June 27, 1911 1,542,874 Hampel June 23, 1925 1,543,600 Clark June 23, 1925 1,766,008 Wilcox June 24, 1930 2,088,951 Fry Aug. 3, 1937 2,178,812 Schade Nov. 7, 1939 2,256,666 Chomik Sept. 23, 1941 2,449,762 Biehl Sept. 21, 1948 2,510,237 Mahoney June 6, 1950 

